Legendary by Stephanie Garber: A Review
By Kaitlin Moran for online YA journal Fterota Logia

http://fterotalogia.com/legendary/

(ARC provided by NetGalley)

“As fantastical as Caraval might feel.

The next five nights are very real.”

Caraval has ended, the game is over and the revelry has begun... but player beware, it is all to be short lived. Isla de los Suenos, “The Island of Dreams”, the once mystifying island, with its charmed competitions and changing landscape, is now dormant of magic. Those who were once actors in the game have shed their personas. As we discovered at the end of Stephanie Garber’s dizzyingly magical novel Caraval, Donatella Dragna is alive. Tella and her sister Scarlett, our protagonist in Caraval, have a brief moment of reprieve before the illusions and games of Caraval begin again. This time, things are far more sinister than either could have imagined, and the stakes of the game are more real than ever before. Caraval has always brimmed with mischief, magic, and mayhem. Caraval is a tournament of trickery and deceit, while also offering amnesty to those seeking an adventure of their own, or an escape from their lives. At least, that’s what it once stood for.

“Legend has chosen you to play a game that may change your destiny.”

Now, the game has taken a strange and deadly turn. Donatella has found herself swooped up in her very own game of suspense, riddles, and mysticism. The mysterious Legend, creator of Caraval, has some wicked vendettas to settle and if Tella isn’t careful, his feuds may just consume her.

In Caraval, Stephanie Garber twisted a tale for Scarlett, the eldest Dragna sister, made up of immense adventure, magic, and love. Garber’s first novel is the journey of two girls escaping the terrible grip of their deranged father. Garber’s writing depicted the incredible bond of a sisterhood built on the foundations of trust and love. Legendary, Garber’s much awaited sequel, focuses on Donatella, the younger Dragna sister. Tella’s story is a story of loyalty, affection and hope between mother and daughter. Tella’s journey is a cataclysmic chain of events that lead her through trial after trial in the pursuit of finding Paloma, her long missing mother. Tella often speaks of choices. These choices, though incredibly trying and often resulting in placing herself in otherworldly danger, are relished by Tella because they are something all her own. She is the decider of her own destiny and this is something that has always been lacking in her life. She herself embodies the very mischievous essence of Caraval;

“She loved the feeling of doing something bold enough to make her future hold its breath while she closed her eyes and reveled in the sensation that she’d made a choice with the power to alter the course of her life. It was the closest she ever came to holding real power.”

Like Tella, there are countless readers who feel their choices are hindered by circumstance, or perhaps that they have no choices at all. Tella represents an evolution of what happens when we begin to realize that our every choice acts as a catalyst. These choices, whether they are large or miniscule, alter the layout of our path. It is through our choices that we create real opportunity, triumph, and change.

Tella’s realization of the power she possesses when taking authority of her own actions, leads her to understand that, no matter what type of deceit or misfortune is battling to control her, the loyalty and affection that she holds for her mother is steadfast and true. It will not be affected by the adversity she faces. Tella has to make hard decisions, taking stock of what she is and isn’t willing to lose to rescue the one person in the world whose love she craves. Tella is not without flaws, and she often questions herself and her motives, but her inquiry also provides moments of reflection, spaces where she realizes that fate is nothing more than the cumulation of our decisions.

In Garber’s Legendary, we encounter a world that reads like a criticism of our modern consumerism. Valenda, the capital of the Empire and the place where Legend will host his second set of games for the year, is a place built upon economic consumption and rather blatant greed. In Valenda, religion is used to justify extortion and the need to increase profit margins. It is through the pairing of economy and religion that the world of Valenda makes its profit, praying on those who wish for protection from a higher power while ultimately taking advantage of that need. The relation between the two, as constructed by Garber, is an undertone throughout the entire novel. These moments are subconsciously understood by the reader as it feels familiar to our world.

The coupling of greed and religion permeates the story in other ways as well. In particular, this can be seen in the presence of the Fates. Fates. These otherworldly entities, similar to the Fates from Greek mythology, set the pace of the story. The Fates are intertwined with playing cards, and each possess their own sinister and formidable powers. Tella’s almost instant connection with the beings gives us insight into their dynamic and hierarchy. Each are said to be vile, preying on humans as their source of entertainment. The Prince of Heart takes a particular liking to Tella. He spends much of the novel manipulating and goading her toward dangerous decisions. Like all other tribulations Tella will face during the game, the Fates are only a representation of the mountains she is ultimately capable of traversing. Though often certain she is underestimated by the people around her, Tella learns that she is the only one with the power to make such assumptions true.

Stephanie Garber’s lyrical writing, incredible imagination, and wonderfully layered characters combine to create a lavish, lustrous story sprinkled with enough humor and romance that it will satiate many reading preferences. The second installment in the Caraval trilogy is absolutely enchanting, written with such care that readers will find leaving Caraval even more heart wrenching than before. We here are looking forward to the third installment in this sensational trilogy.

Impressive follow up after a very divisive ending to the first book. I look forward to what's in store for these sisters and what other situations they'll find themselves in.

Stephanie has done it again in this sequel to Caraval. Last year I devoured Caraval so fast and fell in love with Scarlets story. I was so happy to hear the story would continue with Tella’s side. This book lived up to the hype and my expectations. Gorgeous writing and a,aging characters.

“But the best villains are the ones you secretly like, and my nana always said Legend was the villain in Caraval.”*

Now that Scarlet has won Caraval the sisters should be on their way to happily ever after. Unfortunately, Tella had made a bargain, and the lender is asking for Legendary’s true name. Now Tella must play her own round of Caraval to obtain his identity. Though she knows it’s just a game, this time it seems like it might be just a little too real.

The Story-
I am going to admit that the first time I read Caraval I had some mixed feelings. The second time I was able to appreciate the whirlwind that it is. Legendary did not leave me questioning how I felt in the least bit. Despite that it took me a little longer than I anticipated, that was only due to a very busy and exhausting week. Regardless, This book captured my attention and I am here for it.

Where Caraval kept throwing wrench after wrench at us, it was due from the fact that so much could actually happen during the game. In Tella’s story she actually struggles to keep up with the game as well with the real life needs between her sister and her debtor. This added so much more depth to the story that made it much less about the game and more about the characters and what they were willing to do.

The World Building-
It was interesting to see how Garber expanded the world that Caraval takes place in. There really isn’t a large amount of political or worldly descriptions. But there is a lot of historical, mythical, and religious world building as the story revolves around the taro like cards for the Fates. I loved that each of the Fates had their own sinister powers that left room for desire. The fun part was how they were wrapped up in the fun of Caraval and Tella’s situation. I was very happy to see at the end of the book there is information about each of the fates as well.

The Characters-
I am going to admit here that in Caraval I was not a fan of Tella in the first book. She seemed like a flighty, selfish girl. In Legendary we are given the opporunity to understand why she acts a certain way and what is a major driving factor of her decisions. I thought this line described the sisters’ relationship so well

“Tella was the sister who would destroy the world if anything happened to Scarlett, but Scarlett’s world would be destroyed if anything happened to Tella.”*

The Soundtrack-
Alesso feat Tove Lo- Heroes

*Quotes were obtained from unproofed ARC

I am so excited to be reviewing my second eARC from NetGalley! If you didn’t already know, Legendary is Stephanie Garber’s second book in the Caraval trilogy. When I requested it (a million years ago), I never dreamed that they would send it to me. I’m so glad that they did because it was fantastic! I do recommend that if you are planning on reading this book, and read Caraval when it came out, it’s worth your time to do some Googling for a summary*. This book picks up right where Caraval left off, so it’s good to have it fresh on your mind.
One of my favorite things about this book was that it focused on Tella this time around, rather than Scarlett. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Scarlett, but making Tella the focal point of this book gave it a new flavor. I think if Stephanie would’ve chosen to make Scarlett the main character, the book wouldn’t feel fresh. In this book, we got to see Tella take shape. I hope that in the last book, we will get to see them take center stage together and watch their relationship blossom on the page.
Another great addition to this book was the Fates and their mythology. I don’t want to spoil anything, but the Fates are the “godly” figures in the Scarlett and Tessa’s world. They all represent different things, (like love, luck, hard choices, etc.) and are frequently used to predict the future with the use of their worlds tarot cards. From a young age, Tessa is intrigued by them, and their appearance in the book is used to make this round of the Caraval game more real than it was in the past.
I think that what makes this book different from its predecessor is the added reality within the game. In Caraval, the character's actions had no actual impact on the events outside of the game. In this book, Tella had to make some tough decisions because of the consequences that would follow her actions. Legendary had a chance to be a “knock-off” Caraval, and I’m so glad that Stephanie decided to turn the world upside down. It made for a great story, and I can’t wait to see what Finale brings to the table.

Absolutely loved this enchanting sequel. Mystery, love, relationships, magic, and family. A perfect summer read to escape into!

I loved it! I enjoyed it more than the first one. I love Tella and her strength. She’s a tough character and I wish I would handle the game like she did if I was in it. The author really creates such an interesting and vivid setting. You get so caught up in the story.

Amazing sequel! I am glad that she wrote this one in Tella's point of view. This one has all of the magic and amazement of Caraval with more mystery and dubious characters.

Stephanie Garber’s Caraval was one of my most anticipated reads for 2017. While, unfortunately, it did not quite live up to my very high expectations for it, I still found it an entertaining enough read that I wanted to continue the series, especially once I read the premise for the second book, Legendary, and saw that the story was being told from the perspective of my favorite character from Caraval, younger sister Donatella Dragna, or Tella as she is called. I didn’t feel like nearly enough attention was paid to Tella in the first book, so knowing that the second book is her story made Legendary a must-read for me. I kept my expectations in check this time around and I’m thrilled to say that Legendary far exceeded all of my expectations and now has me eager to complete the series.

Reviewing middle books in a series is always so hard for me. I want to gush about everything I loved, but it’s hard to do it without potentially spoiling the first book for anyone who hasn’t read it yet. I’ve therefore decided to do this review a little differently than I normally do and just present you with all of the reasons why Legendary worked so much better for me than Caraval did. Hopefully it’s not spoilery, and if it is, hopefully it’s only mildly so.


5 REASONS WHY I ENJOYED LEGENDARY MORE THAN CARAVAL

1. Tella is a more compelling narrator than Scarlett. I’ll admit it…and I’m pretty sure I admitted it when I reviewed Caraval, Scarlett was not my favorite Dragna sister. While I liked her loyalty and devotion to her sister, Tella, beyond that she just didn’t really hold my attention at all. Tella, on the other hand, is a much more complex and interesting character. She’s the sister who everyone thinks is just high strung and flaky, and so they always underestimate her. I enjoyed watching the second installment of this series unfold through Tella’s eyes and even more so, I loved getting inside her head and discovering that there really is so much more to her than people give her credit for. Tella was actually my favorite character in Caraval and even though that first book was only an okay read for me, as soon as I heard Legendary was Tella’s story, I knew I had to continue the series and I’m thrilled that I did because the second book far exceeded my expectations and that’s mostly because of the change in perspective from Scarlett to Tella.

2. Caraval Fall Out. Something that really made Legendary a more interesting read for me than Caraval was the fallout from being in an environment where literally no one could be trusted. Now that Scarlett and Tella are interacting with some of the Caraval players outside of the game, it adds an underlying element of mistrust in all of their interactions that I found very entertaining. It’s like “Can I trust you now? Do you really like me or is this still an act?” All of the players are clearly gifted actors so it was easy to understand why Tella and Scarlett remained so suspicious of them.

3. Greater sense of urgency. Instead of just being an elite game that everyone is dying to play as in the first book, this time the Caraval experience has much higher stakes, thanks to a bargain Tella has secretly made with a mysterious and shady individual. There’s something she desperately wants that he says only he can deliver, but he’ll only do so if she can get something for him in return, the true identity of Caraval mastermind, Legend. Legend’s identity is one of Caraval’s best kept secrets and the only way she can get it is to win Caraval. As soon as Tella begins to play, however, she learns that this Caraval is quite different from the first one she participated in, dangerously so. It becomes clear that Legend has enemies who will stop at nothing to take him down and won’t hesitate to take Tella down as well if she gets in their way.

4. Rules are Made to be Broken. One of the reasons I wasn’t keen on Scarlett in the first book was her refusal to let the main rule of Caraval sink into her head. No matter how many times people reminded her it was just a game, nothing was real, she just took everything so seriously and kept diving off the deep end. For that reason, I loved the twist Garber throws in Legendary. Instead of being told that nothing is real and everything’s a game, Tella is instead warned that this time around, everything IS real. It keeps Tella and the reader in a constant state of doubt over whether things are real or not because this situation is the exact opposite of what we and Tella were expecting and it’s hard to believe Caraval would completely change up its number one rule.

5. Less “Purple” Prose. I was not a huge fan of some of the writing in Caraval. In some ways it felt like Garber was just trying too hard to convey a sense of the magical atmosphere that is Caraval, using overly flowery descriptions that sometimes didn’t make sense and therefore slowed down my reading of the story. That said, however, Garber really hits her stride in Legendary and her efforts to capture the magical atmosphere of the latest Caraval setting just felt so much more effortless. I really appreciated how easily I was able to breeze through the writing this time and only stumbled over an occasional “purple” phrase: “The air tasted like wonder. Like candied butterfly wings caught in sugared spiderwebs, and drunken peaches coated in luck.” I’ll admit that one gave me pause, but generally speaking, the descriptions just felt so much more natural and streamlined in Legendary and Garber has done this while still retaining all of the magical quality that is Caraval.


BONUS REASON (BECAUSE I JUST COULDN’T STOP AT 5!)

The Fates. I can’t really say anything about this without spoiling the second book. If you’ve already read it, you know what I’m talking about, and if you haven’t, you‘ll know why I loved this part so much. The addition of the Fates to the story was both unexpected and totally brilliant.

So there you have it. I hope I’ve managed to convey my love of the second book without completely spoiling the first for those who haven’t started the series yet. I’ll close by saying while I may have gotten off to a rough start with the Caraval series, I’m all in now and can’t wait to get my hands on the final book in this magical trilogy.

Such an amazing sequel! I loved Caraval but this book definitely was an amazing addition to this series and you get to see so much more into the game and the characters and you see motivations and this book takes you through so much! Loved it from start to finish!

The sequel to Caraval left me wanting more. From beginning to end I was completely immersed in Donatella’s journey in uncovering Legends true identity. I cannot wait until the next book!

This was better than the first book! I couldn't put it down. I loved every moment of it. I liked that we got to see Tella and her side of the story. Even the plot twists I was expecting shocked me when they happened. I will be impatiently waiting for the next book.

When I began reading Legendary, I was worried that it wouldn’t measure up to Caraval. By the end of the first page, I knew I had nothing to worry about. Legendary was captivating and an utter delight to read. The world, the characters, and the plot were absolutely brilliant. I loved how Stephanie played with the reader’s expectations regarding Caraval. In Legendary, she introduced a much bigger and more complicated world than I could have ever imagined.

It’s important to note that this is Tella’s story, not Scarlett’s. That shift threw me a bit for the first few chapters but once I adjusted, I actually grew to love Tella as much as Scarlett. She was determined, brave, and compassionate. The other characters were just as amazing. I loved the little peeks we got into Scarlett and Julian’s lives after Caraval! However, there were two characters, one new and one returning, who completely stole the show. In Stephanie’s own words, “beware of boys with hearts made of black.” (But I’m pretty sure you’ll fall in love with them anyway).

I absolutely loved how the world became so more complex and larger in this installment. The juxtaposition of myth, reality, and the game created an atmosphere where I wasn’t sure what was real or which character to trust. Prepare to question everything. The idea of the fates was executed so well, I’m still in awe of how Stephanie crafted that aspect of the story. Some readers may not like the more abstract tone of this book but I absolutely loved it. I thought that it worked very well for the story and made for a riveting reading experience.

Legendary was one of my favorite books in 2018 so far. It was enchanting, absolutely magical, and entertaining. Just remember, it’s only a game. Or is it?

*Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Legendary by Stephanie Garber is the 2nd book in the Caraval series. I recommend reading the first book Caraval first, for a better understanding. Utterly delightful in every sense of the world. Be prepared to be swept up in this story and these characters. Very unique young adult story,

I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

First let me say that I LOVED Caraval! The setting, the romance, the mystery, and the constant plot twists- made it such a thrilling read. I loved that Tella and Scarlett had to rely on their love for each other in order to overcome their traumatic pasts, while also staying true to themselves. And I am happy to report that Legendary did not disappoint! It was just as good as the first book, if not better! Everything we thought we knew about “the game” in Caraval, is veiled in a whole new mystery here and it is absolutely magical! 

Here’s what I loved most:

 I did have some reservations in book 1 with the Scarlett and Julian’s relationship- I found it disingenuous at times. The “good girl,” “bad boy” act was a little predictable. However, the romance in this book is completely different and it issuper steamy, mysterious, dangerous, and I loved it! But don’t worry, there is no shortage of bad boys in this book either! In fact, there are several of them and they are all completely swoon-worthy!

I found some of the plot twists in book 1 predictable, but book 2 was full of surprises and twists that I didn't see coming at all! I don’t want to spoil anything, but the twists in Tella’s game are so brilliantly crafted, while still leaving lingering questions for the next book.

The “game” of Caraval continues to be a constant labyrinth of mystery, but the scope was so much bigger and more dangerous in book 2. Tella’s stakes for playing the game felt so much higher, so I was much more invested in her journey. It is not only her own destiny on the line, but her mother’s and Legends.

In book 1, I also really wanted Scarlett to have more agency in her own game. However, Tella is everything you could want in a fierce female character. She plays the game on her own terms and stays true to herself throughout. I really fell in love with her character in this book. 
I loved that Garber played with the theme of “fate” in this book. I don’t feel that there was much of this theme in book 1, but I loved that so much of Tella’s story grappled with the idea of fate. From the Deck of Destiny to her mother’s ring, everything connected back so beautiful to a grand plan for Tella’s future. 
Few

Things that I didn’t like:
The stark contrast between the sisters. They were just so different that it didn’t feel natural at times. I get that sisters are usually very different, but it seemed like Garber was going overboard in her attempt to make them complete foils of each other, maybe in order to make the two books contrast each other. This just seemed to be heavy handed at times.

Sadly, Scarlett was not involved in this story much. This was a shame because one of the things that I loved so much about the first book was the dynamic of the sisters. Even though Scarlett was the one in the “game” in book 1, it still felt as if Tella was somehow working in her favor and doing her part to guide Scarlett behind the scenes. Unfortunately, I didn’t get that feeling with this book. Tella felt very much on her own, so I was really missing the sibling support from this book. 

Both Caraval and Legendary were brilliant, well written, and thrilling reads! I would recommend them to anyone looking for a little adventure, magic, and mystery.

If you thought Caraval was entertaining, you are in for a treat with Legendary. It's a bittersweet feeling when you finish a book. And Legendary is the bittersweet chocolate ganache on top of the Caraval cake (did you enjoy that lame pun? I did.)

All the hopes and dreams that were built up in Caraval have a different test/trial in Legendary. New hopes, wishes, and dreams are equally tentative. We were told in Caraval it's all a game. In Legendary, it's said to be real. But which is worse, thinking it's a game or knowing it's real?

Legendary stole my heart and I'm left in mourning. I'm mourning my hopes and denials. You can only blindly cling to naivety for so long. When the truth comes out, you are left to mourn the loss of your innocence.

Legendary leaves your innocence in tatters on the stairs of a temple seemingly forgotten. It leaves your heart bleeding on its pages. Legendary left me hoping for...everything! But don't cling to despair the way I am because eventually the next book will be here. Just grab your blanket and rock in the corner with me while we wait!

Stephanie Garber has done it again! I found this sequel to be even more exciting than Caraval! The games and secrets are more twisted! I love all of the magic and new characters!

Thank you Netgalley for providing this copy in exchange for an unbiased review!

I have no idea how this happened, but I didn't love this book. I adored CARAVAL, but somehow the series lost it's magic for me in this second book, and I'm staring at all the five-star reviews on Goodreads wondering how I missed what everyone else is raving about. Don't get me wrong, I certainly didn't hate it---I didn't even really dislike it. I just didn't feel much for it at all.

So, what happened? Let's see...

What Fed My Addiction:

The gorgeousness of Caraval.
Garber's descriptions are lovely and beautiful, and Caraval is a place of amazingness to behold. Also, I want to be wearing Tella's stupendous dress made out of actual flowers. As far as settings go, Caraval is pure perfection.

The writing.
Garber's writing might fall into the purple prose category sometimes, but I love it.

Tella.
She's free-spirited and gutsy.

The romance.
Sure, there's some brooding happening here, but I was generally on board with the romance---just wish there had been a little more of it.

The ending.
I was interested enough in the ending of the book to be eager for the next book---which was sort of a coup since I wasn't all that engaged in this one.

What Left Me Hungry for More:

Lacked action.
Tella didn't really do much of anything except for look at all the prettiness of Caraval (which I can totally understand, by the way) and talk to people.

Completely predictable.
There was not one twist in this book that I didn't see coming from a mile away. It all seemed SO obvious to me. Sometimes I'm okay with that, if I'm kept guessing at least a little bit along the way or if I'm really invested in seeing how the character comes to terms with what I'm sure will happen, but that just wasn't the case here.

Anticlimactic.
I guess this was partially because of the fact that I saw all the twists coming. But also, when they did happen, they just kind of happened and then ... nothing. We moved on. (Check out the review on the blog for a spoiler that I put here.) There's a big secret with Scarlett (the only aspect of the book that I didn't figure out ahead of time), and when it's revealed what it is, it's like ... oh, okay. I just didn't feel anything through any of this book besides like one romantic scene. (Okay, I need to stop thinking about this now, or my rating is going to drop further.)

So, I don't know what happened here. Everyone else seemed to love this book, so I guess I missed something essential. Like I said, it was good. Fine. Just nothing spectacular. I'm still hopeful that I'll love book three as much as CARAVAL, though. Garber's writing and the setting boost this one up to 3/5 Stars.

***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***

For the last couple of years, I have sponsored a tiny little book club at the high school where I teach. The first book we chose to read this year was Stephanie Garber’s Caraval, and everyone really enjoyed the book. As much as I love literary fiction and books that provoke thoughtful discussion and introspection, I also enjoy the occasional “brain candy” that really only serves one primary purpose–to entertain. As I read Caraval with my students, I had to remind myself–frequently–that the book was written with THEM in mind, and not as deeply profound fiction. Once I became used to the cliche-riddled and simplistic prose geared toward young adults, I found myself flying through the pages and totally immersed in the story.

The same proved to be true for Legendary, the follow-up book to Garber’s Caraval. Legendary is the second book in what will become the Caraval Series and will end with the third book, Finale, which will be released next year. Legendary picks up on the same night that Caraval ends, but instead of following the adventures of the oldest Dragna sister, Scarlett, Legendary focuses on her younger–and much bolder–sister, Donatella. Tella receives a note from “a friend” implying that Tella owes him something in exchange for information about the whereabouts of her mother, Paloma, who disappeared several years earlier. When Legend’s Caraval takes Tella, Scarlett, and all the players from the previous game to a new island in celebration of the empress’s birthday, Tella’s connection to her mother’s Deck of Destiny and the Fates connected to them throws her right in the center of the “game.”

Although I enjoyed Caraval, I actually found myself much more captivated by the story of Legendary. One of my chief complaints about Caraval was that Scarlett’s character was a tad irritating to me. Her journey to becoming braver and more willing to take risks took entirely too long for me, and even then, she never felt like a true heroine of a story. Legendary provides readers with the protagonist we craved in the previous book. Tella is stronger, more independent, and more willing to fight for what she wants, and as a result, her story is much more exciting. In addition, all the questions that Caraval seemed to leave unanswered are addressed in Legendary and with much less obvious plot holes AND less obvious twists. The writing is still full of cheesy lines about things like getting lost in a handsome man’s eyes or his touch setting someone’s skin on fire, but the cheesiness just seems to work better this time around. Don’t get me wrong–Caraval was a fun ride as well–but the minor issues that I took with the book were much more insignificant in Legendary. Tella’s quest to find and save her mother had a few predictable elements, and her story with Dante felt very similar to Scarlett’s story with Julian from Caraval (girl meets boy, girl is infuriated by boy several times, but girl is obviously incredible attracted to boy), but Tella’s spunk gave Legendary the spark it needed to keep me even more captivated.

Garber has also created another magical world full of wildly interesting characters. Many familiar faces are back, such as Nigel, Jovan, and Aiko, but readers who are hoping for a focus on Scarlett and Julian’s relationship will be disappointed. The focus is all on Tella this time around, and although Scarlett and Julian are both present and, at times, play important roles, their relationship is mostly insignificant to Tella’s adventure.

Readers who haven’t read Caraval should definitely pick it up and give it a read before reading Legendary, but they should also be aware that although the writing style is the same, the characters are the same, and some elements of the plot are similar, the two books feel very different. In most cases, a follow-up is not nearly as good as the original, but in this one, I think Legendary is the winner.

Caraval had captured me in a way few books ever have, so I was both excited and nervous for Legendary. But this sequel does not disappoint.

I'm not going to go into much detail for fear of spoilers. This is one of those books that you want to go in knowing as little as possible because the twists and turns are more fun that way. It's also a little hard to review because there's so many aspects that make it so much fun to read.

Tella is a different narrator from her sister, and I think Garber handles that difference really well. Scarlett is still part of the story, and important, but this is Tella's story and she gets to control it.

I was so captivated by this story. There were so many twists and turns, so many that I never even saw coming, that it was hard to put it down. While Caraval is all fun and games, Legendary raises the stakes and keeps them raised.

Legendary is a worthy sequel, one that will make you wish you had the final book in your hands immediately. BECAUSE. I. NEED. MORE.